“Yes, I must come with you,” said Norman. “I shall have to go to Oxford on Thursday;” and very reluctant he looked. “Tell Flora I am coming, Mary.”
“How did you know that Flora was a married lady?” asked Blanche, in her would-be grown-up manner.
“I heard that from Aunt Flora. A famous lot of news I picked up there!”
“Aunt Flora!”
“Did you not know he had been at Auckland?” said Dr. May. “Aunt Flora had to nurse him well after all he had undergone. Did you not think her very like mamma, Harry?”
“Mamma never looked half so old!” cried Harry indignantly.
“Flora was five years younger!”
“She has got her voice and way with her,” said Harry; “but you will soon see. She is coming home soon.”
There was a great outcry of delight.
“Yes, there is some money of Uncle Arnott’s that must be looked after, but he does not like the voyage, and can’t leave his office, so perhaps Aunt Flora may come alone. She had a great mind to come with me, but there was no good berth for her in this schooner, and I could not wait for another chance. I can’t think what possessed the letters not to come! She would not write by the first packet, because I was so ill, but we both wrote by the next, and I made sure you had them, or I would have written before I came.”